Tape dispensing device



A. F. TALLMAN TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE Sept. 23, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 21, 1947 A. F. TALLMAN TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE Sgpt. 23, 1952 Filed July 21 1947 2' SHEETS-SHEET 2 I Io Patented Sept. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE 2,611,432

TAPE DISPENSING DEVICE I Arthur F. Tallman, Eugene, Oreg.

Application July 21, 1947, Serial No. 762,240

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in a tape dispensing device and is primarily designed for use in connection with cylindrical containers carrying rolls of tape of the type having an adhesive substance applied to one or both surfaces thereof. It will be understood, however, that I do not intend to confine the invention to such use as the device may be efiectively employed with various forms of tape to be dispensed.

Heretofore, in dispensing adhesive strip material such as synthetic plastic gummed tape, surgical tape, electricians tape, and the like, considerable time has been consumed and inconvenience encountered in starting or releasing the leading end of the strip which often adheres with tenacity to any adjacent surface.

The principal object of my invention is to provide in connection with such a tape dispensing device, an improved means for disengaging and lifting the leading end of a strip of rolled tape so as to present said end in a, readily accessible position for gripping with the fingers of the user.

Another object of the invention is to provide a firmly supported thumb actuated mechanism adapted to act upon the leading end of a'strip of tape with the combined functions of disengaging, lifting and cutting, whereby the dispensing of the desired length of tape is greatly facilitated.

A further object of the invention is to provide device of this character which may be originally formed as a part of a tape container assembly or may be separately constructed as an attachment for conventional containers, spools, or rolls. In either event, the principle of operation and the effectiveness of performance are the same.

A still'further object of theinvention is to provide a tape dispensing device which is simple and inexpensive in construction, and one which presents an attractive appearance, conformingsubstantially to the general contour of the container.

With the above and other objects in view which wil1 appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the form of the invention wherein the device comprises an attachment for a conventional tape container. In this figure the part are in normal or rest position;

2 Claims. (01. 16484.5)

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in the active or dispensing position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1 showing the cutting knife in position for severing the tape;

Figure 4 i a transverse vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the dispensing attachment applied to a tape container;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6- -6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a view in side elevation showing the form of the invention wherein the dispensing device comprises an original part of the tape container assembly;

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure7; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section on line 99 of Figure 8. v

' In the drawings, referring first to Figures 1 to 6, illustrating the separate attachment form'of the invention, the numeral l0 designates a' conventional adhesive tape container consisting of the inner member or flanged spool H on which a reel of adhesive strip 12 is wound, andthe outer member or annular housing l3 within'which the spool l l is adapted to be removably inserted with a spring fit. In the form illustrated, the housing I3 consists simply of a cylindricalcasing l4hav ing one of its annular edges rolled outwardly from the axis of the housing to form a head 15,

its opposite annular edge being rolled inwardly;

toward said axis to form a bead l 6 which acts as a stop for the spool I I which is inserted through the other side of the housing in the usual manner as shown in Figure 4.

out' removing the spool from the housing as will hereinafter appear.

The dispensing attachment comprises a, frame. or collar member [8 composed of metal, plastic, orv any suitable material and having side walls l9;

spaced apart a sufiicient distance to permit insertion therebetween of a portion of the housing 13 and to engage the outer sides of said housing with a close spring fit. The side walls I9 are joined by curved end walls 20, the'curvature of'said walls conforming substantially to the peripheral'contour "of the adjacent portion of thehousing I3, the height of said side walls l9a'n'd thelongitudinal spacing of the curved end walls being such that When the collar I8 is in place on the housing, a predetermined portion of the periphery of the housing projects through and beyond the upper confines of the collar.

A substantially U-shaped actuating yoke 2|, consisting of spaced arms 22, connected by cross head '23, is pivotally mounted on the collar |8 by suitable pivot ins 24 which extend through respective arms 22 and side walls I9 of the collar. The head 23 is preferably curved to normally conform substantially to the contour of the periphery of the casing l4 and is provided along its forward edge with a transverse knife 25 which is directed slightly downwardly toward the periphery of the casing H. The knife 25 may be of the type having a serrated cutting edge or simply a sharp regular cutting edge.

The pivot pins '24 are located rearwardly of the the periphery of the housing |3 as shown in Figures 1 to 3. By this arrangement the head 23 of the yoke 2| undergoes an eccentric movement away from the periphery of casing |4 upon the rearward swinging of the yoke on its fulcrum as will be seen from Figure 2, While a forward swinging of the yoke brings the knife 25 into operative engagement with said periphery.

A substantially U-shaped tape lifting bail 26 is fulcrumed to the pivoted ends of the yoke arms 22, the fulcrum 21 of said bail being eccentric with respect to the pivotal pins 24 of the yoke. In the form shown, this pivotal connection of the bail is accomplished by bending the opposite extremities of the bail legs inwardly to form the pivots 2'! which engage complementary openings in the arms 22, the inner ends of said pivots 2'! extending through the arms 22 and riding in arcuate slots 28 in the adjacent side walls IQ of the collar I8. The lower ends of the bail legs are rearwardly offset as at 29 so as to normally position the main portion of the bail forwardly of but substantially in line with the yoke arms 22, with the cross bar 30 of the bail underlying the yoke head 23 to the rear of the knife edge 25 as shown in Figure 5.

When the device is used in connection with a dispensing container of the type having an annular bead I5, it is desirable to cut a notch 3| in said bead to accommodate the cross bar 30 of the bail when the yoke and hail assembly are in the extreme forward cutting position.

In order to facilitate manipulation of the yoke 2| the head 23 is preferably provided with a knurled face 32 as shown in Figure 5.

With the form of the invention just described the attachment is applied to a conventional tape dispensing container by slipping the collar l8 into position over the housing l3 and the yoke 2| is swung rearwardly to the position shown in Figure 2. The leading end of the tape l2, having been inserted through the slot I! in the casing I4, is pulled outwardly to unreel a sufilcient length of the tape so that the end of the tape lies over the cross bar of bail 26, after which the yoke 2| is returned to its forward position. In the normal or rest position as shown in Figure 1, the head 23 of the yoke 2| is forward in close proximity to the casing l4 with the knife edge 25 pressed firmly against the leading end of the ad hesive strip l2 and the cross bar 30 of the bail 4 26 resting in the notch 3| in bead |5 and underlying the strip l2.

In operation the container is grasped in the hand of the user with the thumb engaging the knurled face 32 on the yoke head 23 and the yoke is swung rearwardly on its pivot to the position shown in Figure 2. The bail '26, being eccentrioally fulcrumed on the lower ends of the yoke arms 22, is thus thrust outwardly from the periphery of the casing l4, disengaging the leading end of the tape from said casing and presenting the same in an extended position so that it may be readily grasped with the fingers of the user. The tape is then unreeled to the desired length and the yoke 2| returned to its extreme forward position as shown in Figure 3, bringing the knife 25 into engagement with the tape and pressing the same tightly against the adjacent periphery of the casing I4. The length of tape is then torn off against the knife edge, leaving the remaining leading edge of the tape adhering to the periphery of the casing until the foregoing operations are repeated.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 7 to 9, the dispensing device forms an original part of the tape container assembly as distinguished from an attachment. In these figures 40 represents a cylindrical casing which houses a reel of tape 4| mounted on a core 42, the leading end of the tape 4| being inserted through a transverse slot 43 in the periphery of the casing 40. The yoke 44 is pivoted directly to the side walls of the casing 40 by pivot pins 45 and the lifting bail 46 is eccentrically fulcrumed to the arms of the yoke 44 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the bail 26 in the previous form of the invention. The operation and functions of the parts in this modified form of the invention are similar to those just described and it is believed unnecessary to repeat the same.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example. while I have shown and described the invention both in the form of an attachment for conventional tape containers and as a manufactured assembly, it is clearly within the scope of my conception to apply a dispensing device of this character directly to a roll or spool of tape where the spool itself forms the container. Furthermore, while I have described the invention as used primarily in connection with adhesive tape, it is also adaptable for use in dispensing any type of strip material including strip material separated into units by a series of spaced lines of perforation.

I claim:

I. A tape dispenser comprising a tape contamer for housing a roll of tape, a tape-severing element presenting a cutting edge and pivotally mounted with respect to said container for swinging movement from a tape-severing position whereat the said cutting edge engages'the periphery of the container to a retracted positon whereat the cutting edge is spaced outwardly from the said periphery to facilitate the free feeding of the leading end of a roll of tape from said container, and a tape-lifting element presenting a cross-bar to underlie the leading end of the tape, said tape-lifting element beingpivotally mounted on said tape-severing element ec centri- 5 cally of the fulcrum of the latter for imparting outward movement to said cross-bar with respect to the periphery of 'the container and relative bodily movement of the cross-bar with respect to the said severing element in response to the retraction of the latter.

2. A tape dispenser comprising a container provided with a transverse slot in its periphery, a roll of tape housed in said container with its leading end fed out through said slot, a yoke pivotally mounted with respect to said container and presenting a knife edge bridging the periphery of the container and movable from a tape-severing position whereat the said knife edge engages the periphery of the container forwardly of said slot to a retracted position, a transverse tape-lifting element underlying the leading end of the tape between the tape-severing position of the knife edge and the slot, and means responsive to the retraction of the knife edge for lifting the tape-lifting REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,110,912 Krueger Mar. 15, 1938 r 2,272,638 Anderson Feb. 10, 1942 2,423,004 Butler June 24, 1947 2,447,518 Marinsky Aug. 24, 1948' 2,463,445

Van Cleef Mar. 1, 1948 

